


Right on Time

by stargatefan_archivist



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-31
Updated: 2013-12-31
Packaged: 2018-10-06 14:12:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10336379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stargatefan_archivist/pseuds/stargatefan_archivist
Summary: SPOILERS: Meridian, 5th seasonSUMMARY: General Hammond finds Jack in his basement surrounded by Daniel’s things.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Yuma, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [Stargatefan.com](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Stargatefan.com). To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [StargateFan Archive Collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/StargateFan_Archive_Collection).

Right on Time

##  Right on Time

##### Written by Lore   
Comments? Write to us at [majb11@aol.com](mailto:majb11@aol.com)

  * SPOILERS: Meridian 
  * SUMMARY: General Hammond finds Jack in his basement surrounded by Daniel's things. 
  * PG [A] [Hc] 



* * *

It was some how strange seeing Doctor Jackson’s car parked in Jack’s driveway. It was in the same place he parked over four years ago when he came to Daniel’s wake. SG1 had returned from Nem’s planet believing he was dead. Dead… General Hammond shook his head at the memory.

He had seen Daniel’s SUV here often enough. The general always came to Jack’s Christmas Eve gatherings and summer barbecues.

Now, it was different. There was a light film of dust over the vehicle, dirt around the tires. It looked as if it hadn’t been moved since Jack parked it there almost a month ago. He sighed.

General Hammond had placed his premiere team on extended stand down. They all needed to come to terms with Daniel’s ascension.

Ascension, he kept reminding himself… not his death. It was beautiful to behold but cut deep into his heart just as the loss of his wife had. The only difference? Her death was slow. Daniel’s bedside vigil was over quickly.

His hands trembled as he passed them over his head. He must not think of his own loss, the loss of the son he never had. He was here to help Jack. It was time to bring him back to the land of the living.

The house was dark. There appeared to be no one home. Jack’s truck parked beside Daniel’s car was the only indication he was here. The general slowly walked to the front door. 

Frequent unanswered phone calls and messages left on Jack’s machine had only increased the general’s concern for SG1’s team leader.

Ringing the doorbell and knocking on the door had not elicited a response. From his pocket, he pulled the emergency set of keys the SGC kept for all its essential personnel and let himself in.

He wandered around the house calling Jack’s name. There was no answer.

When he reached the kitchen, only a small light over the stove was lit. On the counter sat a partially eaten meal and Doctor Jackson’s favorite coffee cup with cold, left over coffee in the bottom. Jack was around here somewhere.

As he quietly made his way through the house, the general noticed the basement door ajar. There was light coming from the underground room. He called to Jack then carefully made his way down the narrow steps.

There he found his missing colonel.

Jack was sitting on a crate in the middle of his basement surrounded by packing boxes, a sole, bare bulb hanging above his head, illuminating the room. Everywhere the general looked, there were boxes marked with Daniel’s name and its contents. The larger items, Daniel’s couch, desk, bedroom outfit and piano, had all been placed in storage.

But the smaller ones, Daniel’s more personal things, had been lovingly placed in their own boxes by the members of his family -- Jack, Sam and Teal’c.

The general remembered the day SG1 started closing up Daniel’s apartment. Major Carter said it was hard on them all. Jack and Teal’c spoke very little as they moved from item to item, room to room. Sam admitted to spending a lot of time just holding on to things and crying while gently stroking them before placing them in a box. The whole process took several days to complete. The colonel wouldn’t throw anything away. It was all Daniel’s. Everything was to be placed in a container and taken to Jack’s. He would keep it all there.

Now, that same man sat here in his basement, an aura of intense loneliness wrapped around him. Jack seemed to be in a world of his own. He was bent over reading something. It only took a moment for the general to realize Jack was reading one of Daniel’s journals.

"Jack?"

"Jack?"

No answer. He tried a different approach and began to roam around the boxes, touching some and looking inside others. There seemed to be dozens of them. They were scattered everywhere.

The general finally came and stood in front of Jack. He gently placed a hand on the man’s shoulder, squeezed it lightly and repeated his name. "Jack. What is all this?"

Jack shuddered and slowly became aware of the general’s presence for the first time.

He dragged in a breath… a breath that came for the depths of his soul. "Its Daniel’s stuff, sir. He’s going to need it later."

General Hammond stared at Jack.

"He’s coming back, ya know."

"He is, Jack? How do you know?"

"I know him. He always comes back."

The general smiled sadly. Yes, Jack certainly did know Daniel. And Daniel always did seem to come back.

"You remember that alternate reality thing, and Nem’s planet, Klorel’s ship and that damn Goa’uld pleasure palace... Daniel’s a regular come back kid."

"Yes, I guess he did. But this is different, Jack," the general pleaded.

Jack picked up the journal and read aloud. " ‘With great power, comes great responsibility and the ability to affect great consequences.’ According to Daniel that’s written on those arm bands Anise brought. He has great responsibility now, sir, but he’s still a member of my team. I’m keeping all this stuff because Daniel always comes back. He’s a very responsible guy."

The general sighed. "Jack, we need to talk."

But Jack turned away and continued reading.

Suddenly, Jack shot up straight and squared his shoulders, a slight smile forming on his lips. Once more, he bent over Daniel’s journal using his finger to reread an entry. Abruptly, his face changed. Hope started to shine in the colonel’s eyes. His body began to relax. Confidence showed on his face. General Hammond was amazed at the transformation.

"What was that again, General," Jack asked as he stood, still clutching the journal?

"I said, we need to talk, son."

"Yea. Sure. Come on. Upstairs. Want some coffee?"

The general turned and followed Jack up the basement steps, wondering what Jack had read to bring about this sudden change. Jack held Daniel’s journal close to his heart, as he carried it upstairs. He turned on the lights when he entered the kitchen and gently placed the book on the counter. He cleared away the dishes, rinsed out Daniel’s coffee cup and put a pot on to boil.

"Regular or decaf, sir?"

"Jack, what just happened?"

"Happened?"

"Yes, happened, Jack. One minute you’re down there, in the basement, reading in the dark, not hearing me, barely aware that I am standing in front of you and the next you… you…" The general stuttered as he waved his hands slightly. He was at a loss for words.

"Oh, that. It’s nothing, sir. Daniel promised he would return. That's all. He promised, General. It’s all right here… in his journal."

The general shook his head, confused.

"You remember, sir, when Daniel left Abydos? He promised he’d return in one year. He wrote about it," Jack spoke confidently. "Right here." He picked up the book, showing the page to the general. "I know Daniel. Dates are important to him. The man is a walking history book of dates. He’ll remember what he did before and do it again. In one year, he’ll come back. You’ll see."

Jack stood staring at the general willing him to see, wanting him to believe.

"We only have eleven months, one week and two days left to wait, sir." Jack looked pleadingly at the general.

The general sighed and slowly agreed. He'd seen many amazing things in the five years he commanded the SGC. He wanted to believe this. He wanted this for Jack… and for himself. Daniel was a man… no… is a man… of great integrity. He would remember… and return.

Jack took another coffee cup from the cupboard, placing it next to Daniel’s.

"Decaf, sir?"

Jack made the general his coffee. "Everything’s gonna to be all right," he said as he poured his own coffee into Daniel’s cup.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Eleven months, one week and two days later…

The Stargate sprang to life. It started up for no reason at all. A wormhole was established and the iris was closed -- an unscheduled off world activation. SFs came rushing in from all directions. Suddenly, the iris opened on its own and a large white ball of light floated through the gate and stopped at the bottom of the ramp. The light slowly began to take form and shape…

It was Daniel.

Jack and General Hammond rushed to the gateroom.

"That's a neat trick, Danny. Care to show us how to do that," Jack asked as he came to a halt. He looked pointedly at the general, bounced on his toes, his hands in his pockets, and smiled. "See, General… Told ya. Right on time." Jack turned his attention to his greatly missed best friend and smiled even more.

The general smiled, too.

Everything was going to be all right.

**The End**

  


* * *

  


> AUTHOR'S NOTES: This fic was born during a Sunday night chat. It is Tiv'ester's. She just let me take it home and play with it for a while. I thank her for granting me permission to post it. I also thank Gem and Judy for finding something in it and encouraging me to get it "out there".  
> 

* * *

>   
> © March 2002 The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp.  
> The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters  
> who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names,   
> titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.   
> 

* * *

  



End file.
